My Ares Son-in-Law

Qin Xianglan turned her gaze to the Reverse Scale Sword again, her eyes burning with determination, her tone extremely solemn, even carrying a hint of humble pleading: "Mr. Xiao, please part with it!"

"Five billion in cash, available immediately."

"Three rare earth mines in western China with astonishing reserves will have their ownership transferred directly."

"The acquisition of 10% of the shares in the Qin Group is legally binding and documented in black and white."

"Add to that the Qin family's unconditional favor... Within the Dragon Kingdom, from connections in the imperial court to underground forces, as long as the Qin family can do it, they will do anything, even if it means going through fire and water!"

The Qin family's influence is widely recognized in the west and even throughout the entire Dragon Kingdom as a "get-out-of-jail-free card."

Someone once offered half the country in exchange for a promise from the Qin family, but was refused on the spot;

Even more prestigious families are willing to submit to the Qin family for a guarantee.

Qin Xianglan believed that no one could refuse such a priceless bargaining chip.

Xiao Chen simply lowered his eyes slightly, his fingertips casually tracing the scale patterns on the scabbard, his movements slow and gentle, as if he were touching a rare treasure, or as if he were merely fiddling with an ordinary ornament: "I don't lack money."

He raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping lightly over Qin Xianglan's face, which was filled with eagerness and expectation. His eyes were completely calm, showing neither disdain nor emotion, as if he were looking at an insignificant object. Yet, Qin Xianglan's heart sank, and a chill ran from the soles of her feet to the top of her head.

"As for the favors owed to the Qin family..."

Xiao Chen's voice remained calm and even, yet carried an undeniable contempt: "To me, it's worthless."

Madness!

Utterly arrogant!
A surge of anger rose in Qin Xianglan's heart. Her delicate brows furrowed slightly, and a fierce glint flashed in her eyes.

But this anger was extinguished by the cold reality: how could someone who could so easily wield the Reverse Scale Sword and say such things take the Qin family's meager resources seriously?
His confidence is probably more terrifying than he imagined!
She quickly suppressed all her emotions, and her face regained that gentle yet distant smile, but deep in her eyes lay a heavy calculation and resentment: "Mr. Xiao is indeed a man of strong character. I was too presumptuous."

She picked up the coffee on the table and took a sip, trying to hide the turmoil in her heart. "The conditions just now are valid forever. You can take your time to consider them. The Qin family has plenty of patience."

Her tone abruptly shifted, her gaze instantly hardening as she stared intently at the Reverse Scale Sword, her voice resolute and leaving no room for argument: "But there's one thing, absolutely no room for negotiation... Don't even think about the forging materials left behind by Master Qin Tie!"

"That's not just material; it's a symbol of the Qin family's faith and spirit, passed down for centuries. It's sealed in the family's forbidden area, and it's absolutely impossible for even a single bit to leak out without the unanimous consent of the patriarch and the three core elders. In fact... even discussing it in private is a taboo that could implicate nine generations of your family!"

All previous overtures, tests, and weighing of interests collapsed the moment the Reverse Scale Sword appeared.

While Xiao Chen's personal mystique was certainly worthy of the Qin family's attention, it ultimately paled in comparison to retrieving this sacred artifact, which held the family's century-long ambition. Xiao Chen's eyes remained unchanged, his face still expressionless, as if Qin Xianglan's resolute decision had nothing to do with him.

He raised his hand, and with a gentle flick of his fingertips, the Reverse Scale Sword on the table transformed into a streak of light as if it were sentient, instantly disappearing into his wide sleeve. His movements were fluid and effortless, as if the sacred artifact that the Qin family had been pursuing so madly was nothing more than an ordinary trinket that could be discarded at will.

He slowly stood up, his posture as upright as a pine tree, and glanced down at Qin Xianglan with an indifferent look, as if he were looking at a speck of dust: "In that case, farewell."

Just as he turned around, preparing to step out of the booth...

"boom……!"

A muffled, explosive sound seemed to come from the depths of hell!
The sound wasn't particularly loud, but it carried a sharp, trembling quality that seemed to tear through the air, causing the entire coffee shop to shake slightly. The solid wood sofas in the booths even tingled slightly, and the coffee cups on the tables buzzed.

Almost at the same instant the explosion occurred, a tiny hole appeared in the center of the thickened bulletproof floor-to-ceiling window opposite their booth, which was supposed to withstand 12.7mm armor-piercing rounds. Spiderweb-like cracks spread outwards from the hole in an instant, dense and shocking!
A dark silver streak of light tore through the air at a terrifying speed exceeding the speed of sound, carrying the chilling aura unique to death, like a deadly ghost, aimed directly at Qin Xianglan's brow!
Ultra-long-range special operations sniping!

Moreover, it's a top-of-the-line configuration with a silencer and a specially designed armor-piercing projectile!
Everything happened in the blink of an eye!
The bullet's speed far exceeded the limits of human reaction, even breaking the sound barrier, leaving an invisible trail in the air!

Qin Xianglan's pupils shrank to pinpoints, and only half a broken gasp escaped her throat. Her blood seemed to freeze instantly!
She could even clearly see the rifling grooves rotating on the surface of the bullet. The shadow of death, like a huge black net, instantly swallowed her up completely. Before fear could even arise, her mind went blank!
At the critical moment!
A hand with distinct knuckles and a lustrous, cold jade-like sheen appeared out of thin air like a ghost, leaving a blurry afterimage, and suddenly appeared in the less than one-inch gap between the bullet and Qin Xianglan's brow!
There was no earth-shattering collision, no expected metallic roar.

There was only a very light and crisp "ding," like an icicle hitting warm jade, or a pearl falling onto a glass cup. It was clear and melodious but not jarring, and it seemed particularly abrupt in this tense and suffocating atmosphere.

It was as if time had been slowed down.

Qin Xianglan watched helplessly as the specially designed armor-piercing projectile, capable of easily tearing through a ten-centimeter-thick steel plate, seemed to crash into an invisible yet absolutely insurmountable barrier about half an inch in front of Xiao Chen's palm.

The spinning abruptly stopped, the terrifying speed decreased instantly, and the aura of death it had been carrying vanished. Finally, like a butterfly that had exhausted its strength, it floated down lightly and vertically.

"despair……"

With a crisp, piercing sound, the bullet landed on the dark silk tablecloth, spun twice on its own, and then slowly came to a stop.

What's astonishing is that the incredibly powerful warhead didn't deform at all and still maintained its perfect streamlined shape.

Xiao Chen's hand remained suspended in mid-air, his smooth, jade-like palm unmarked, not even a trace of redness, as if he had only stopped a falling withered leaf, not a fatal bullet.

Until then, "Splash...!"

The cracked, bulletproof floor-to-ceiling window finally gave way, collapsing and shattering with a deafening roar. Countless sharp shards of glass rained down, some striking the floor with a crackling sound, while others grazed Qin Xianglan's shoulders, tearing her silk shawl. (End of Chapter)